Revealed Relationships
by ProLiferChelle
Summary: This revised, and I hope improved story takes place several years after "Another World" went off the air. Part of it was inspired by events that I think would have happened if the show had not been cancelled, and part is just my own speculation. Slightly AU in some places. Characters not invented by me are the property of Procter and Gamble Productions.
1. Stay Out of Sight

In a small town, about five miles from Bay City, Grant Harrison, mayor of Bay City,  
was having a private meeting with Tito Banecek.

"Are you absolutely sure nobody saw or recognized you?" Grant asked.

"I'm positive," said Tito. "I've been careful to stay out of sight."

"Good," said Grant. "Let's keep it that way for now."

"I don't know how much longer I can stay out of sight," said Tito.

"You'll stay out of sight for as long as I tell you to," Grant told him.

"But it's been more than a month now," Tito complained. "I'm getting tired of this."

"Well, isn't that just too bad? Let's get one thing straight, Tito," Grant said. "You will do exactly what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it, or you'll be back in prison so fast, it will make your head spin. Don't forget, you were in for attempted murder. Specifically, for _my_ attempted murder. Now this," Grant said, showing him a photograph, "is Sofia Carlino, Joe's sister. I want you to get to know her."

"But," Tito began.

"No buts," Grant said. "Get her to trust you. That is how you will renew your involvement with the family. And when you talk to Sofia for the first time, don't let on that you already know who she is."

"When the time is ripe," Grant answered.


	2. First Encounter

One week later, Sofia was seated at a table in the Bay City Public Library reading a magazine. Tito came in, and walked up to her.  
"Excuse me," he whispered, "is anybody sitting here?

"No," Sofia whispered back. She looked up. Wait a minute. I know who you are. You're Tito Banecek."

"You must have me mixed up with someone else," said Tito.

"No, I don't. Now, please sit someplace else. I have nothing to say to you."

"There's no need to be hostile," Tito replied in a reproachful tone of voice.

"Hostile?" Sofia hissed. "After what you did to my family?

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are," Tito lied.

"Oh, don't you?" Sofia asked sarcastically.

"Honestly, I have no idea."

"I'm Sofia Carlino," Sofia said.

"And is that supposed to mean something to me?" Tito asked.

"Does the name_ Paulina _Carlino mean anything to you? You remember. You pretended to be her long-lost son."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Tito insisted

"I don't know why I'm wasting my time talking to you," Sofia said. "I don't even want to be in the same room, make that the same _building_ with you."

She stood up and walked out of the library. One hour later, Tito was talking on the phone with an irate Grant.

I told you to stay out of sight," Grant said.

"I know, but I couldn't stand it any more. And I had no idea I was talking to Sofia until she looked up."

"Did she recognize you?" Grant asked.

"Yes. I told her she was mistaken, but she didn't buy it."

"Well," Grant said, "that means we'll have to change our strategy."

"In what way?" Tito asked.

"You will meet Sofia again," Grant answered, "and you will admit that she was right."

"And then what?" Tito wanted to know. "You will convince her that you regret everything you did to her family, and you want her to help you to make amends."

"And just how do I do that?" Tito asked.

"You figure it out," Grant said. "Remember, I'm the one who got you out of prison, so you owe me. Never forget, you owe me."

"All right. So I pretend I've reformed," said Tito. "And then what?"

"And then, when the time is right, I'll drop the bombshell," Grant said. "The good citizens of Bay City are going to learn that Captain Joseph Carlino never _was_ the saint he pretends to be." 


	3. The Diary

That evening, Joe, Paulina, Sofia, Remy, Dante, and Dante's little brother, Ryan Gabriel (in his highchair) were seated around the supper table.

"I didn't tell you who I saw at the library today," Sofia said.

"Who?" Joe asked.

"Tito Banecek."

"No!" Remy exclaimed. "Don't tell me that low-life is back in Bay City!"

"I told him in no uncertain terms to keep away from me," Sofia said.

"Well," Joe said, "if I see him, I'll tell him in no uncertain terms that he'd better not mess with my family again."

The doorbell rang. Joe got up to answer, muttering about people who telephoned or rang the doorbell at mealtimes. He returned several minutes later, carrying a package.

"Who's that for?" Paulina asked.

"It's for me and Sofia."

"Both of us?" Sofia asked.

"Yes, Bambina, both of us," Joe said. "It's from Great-aunt Sofia."

"Mama's favorite aunt," said Sofia, "and my godmother."

Joe nodded. "But why," he asked, "would she send us a package out of the blue?"

"Maybe we should open it," Sofia suggested.

"We'll open it right after supper," Joe said. "Now, let's eat!"

Ryan Gabriel banged his spoon on the tray attached to his highchair, as if to say, "Hear, hear!"

###

"I think you should be the one to read the diary," Joe said to Sofia when supper was over, and everyone else was sitting outside.

"Maybe," Sofia answered," we should find out what's in the letter first."

"Good thinking, Bambina," Joe said. He opened the envelope, took out the letter, and read it out loud. _Dear Joe and Sofia,_

I was cleaning out my attic, and I found a diary your mother kept in 1957, when she was a teenager. I don't remember how this diary came into my possession, but it contains some information that I think you should have. Love, Great-Aunt Sofia

"Well," Sofia said, "we might as well read Mama's diary and find out what this is all about." Remy came inside. "I just want to say goodnight," she said. "Nick and I are going to a movie."

"Have a good time."

"Thanks, Dad."

After Remy had gone, Joe and Sofia, sitting side by side on the couch, began to read the diary their mother had kept as a girl.

####

In the theater, before the movie started, Remy whispered to Nick, "You won't believe who's back in Bay City."

"Who?" Nick asked.

"Tito Banecek"

"No!" said Nick. "That low-life is supposed to be in prison."

"Well, my Aunt Sofia saw him at the library. He SAID she was mistaken, but she knew him from his picture."

"He's lucky I didn't see him," Nick muttered.

"I think the movie is about to start," whispered Remy.

####

Joe and Sofia finished reading the diary.

"Poor Mama." Sofia's voice broke. "I can't... I can't believe she went through that."

Joe brushed his hand across his eyes. "And we never knew any of it."

"Well," Sofia asked, "now that we do know, what should we do?"

"I'm not sure yet, Bambina. This is something we're going to have to think about."

"Maybe," Sofia said, "there's only one right thing to do."

"I guess you're right," Joe agreed. "The question is, where do we start?"  



	4. An Old Friend Returns

Sofia, alone in her bedroom, re-read certain parts of her mother's diary.

If Mama and Daddy knew that I was going with an older boy, they'd ground me for life.  
But he is so sweet, so handsome...  
I'm not writing his name just in case someone sees this diary.

Sofia skipped a few pages.

I'm not sure if I can write about what happened tonight. I thought he was so nice, so caring.. but tonight he. .. no.  
I won't write it down, and I'm never going to tell anybody... what happened tonight. I'm just going to take a long bath,  
and try to forget. If I CAN forget.

Sofia skipped a few pages.

I don't know what to do now. I just found out I'm pregnant. I'm only fourteen, and I'm pregnant. Pregnant by a rapist.  
Now I'll HAVE to tell Mama and Daddy everything.

Mama and Daddy have been so good about this. No lectures, no "We warned you." Just love and support. But Daddy did  
say that it's a good thing that... (I won't write the word Daddy used) doesn't live around here any more.  
(His family moved to Chicago a few weeks ago.)

Sofia went on to the next page.

Mama and I are going to stay with Aunt Sofia for awhile. Daddy arranged for me to be excused from school for a "family emergency."  
My lessons will be mailed to the house, and Daddy will forward them to me. As if school even mattered right now!

Sofia paged through the diary again, until she came to this entry:

It's over. My baby, my son, is gone. I pray to God that his adoptive parents will be good, kind, loving people.  
Aunt Sofia has been wonderful through all this. If I ever have a daughter, I will name her Sofia.

###

Felicia Gallant was going over the receipts at TOPS when she heard somebody approaching. She turned  
and started to say, "I'm sorry, we're closed," when a familiar voice spoke.

"Fanny."

"Derek!" She threw her arms around him. "When did you get back to Bay City?"

"Less than an hour ago. How are you, Fanny?"

"You know I've gotten married again, don't you?"

"Yes. Is he good to you?" Derek asked. (He thought, "_He'd better be_!")_  
_

"We're very happy," Felicia answered.

"I have so much to tell you," Derek said. "There have been some changes in my life."

####

Miles away in a nursing home, an old man in an upholstered rocking chair rocked slowly back  
and forth muttering, "God forgive me. God forgive me."


End file.
